title: Transcultural adaptation to Spanish of the instrument "Effectiveness of Auditory Rehabilitation" for the assessment of quality of life in patients using hearing aids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is becoming increasingly important to have reliable and valid questionnaires. This becomes especially important when evaluating hearing loss.
  the "Effectiveness of Auditory Rehabilitation" (EAR) questionnaire for the Spanish-speaking population. This instrument assesses quality of life and hearing aspects in patients using hearing aids.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional validation study. A cultural adaptation through the use of English to Spanish translations and re-translations was carried out. The validity and reliability of the newly adapted instrument were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 69 individuals (44 older adults and 25 younger adults) were examined. The pure-tone averages (PTA, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 Hz) were 47.3 dB HL and 47.1 dB HL for the left and right ears, respectively. The mean maximum speech discrimination in silence for monosyllables were 83.3% and 82.9% for the left and right ears, respectively. Internal consistency presented Cronbach alpha values of 0.85 and 0.77 for the internal and external dimensions, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.80 for the internal module and 0.85 for the external module. Construct validity reported a correlation coefficient of 0.71 at baseline and 0.76 at 3 months after the initial assessment for the internal module, and 0.62 at baseline and 0.74 at 3 months after the initial assessment for the external module. The size effects were 1.3 and 1.1 for the internal and external modules, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Spanish version of the EAR questionnaire seems to be a reliable and valid instrument. The evaluation of audiological aspects, as well as aspects relating to aesthetics and comfort are the main strengths of this instrument. Finally, the EAR scale is more sensitive to change than other scales.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Barros Luco Trudeau, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Programa de Doctorado en Salud Pública, Escuela de Salud Pública, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: felipecardemil@med.uchile.cl.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardemil
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Esquivel
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aguayo
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barría
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fuente
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carvajal
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fromín
authors.forename: Iván
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Villalobos
authors.forename: Bevan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yueh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014177:Translations
keywords: Calidad de vida; Evaluación de impacto en salud; Health impact assessment; Hearing loss; Hipoacusia; Quality of life